Georgian/Regency room usage?

[tennantcreek]

A friend lives in a late Georgian or Regency four storey terrace, as you walk in the front door the dining room is to the right and a plain wall to the left. However in the wall is a bricked up doorway apparantly belonging to a small room which is also accessed from the next door property.

The neighbours are selling this room (and one above it on the first floor) back to my friend as it originally belonged to my friend's house. Is this common for an adjoining room between separate properties? And what would each of the rooms (ground floor and first floor) have been used for?

 

[Nigel Watts]

I would say it was very unusual for a Georgian terrace to comprise anything other than distinct houses separated by solid walls. In London the building acts required there to be a parapet rising above roof level separating each house, to act as a fire break. Over time terraces often got altered and it is not uncommon for original layouts to be altered, including the knocking throught of doorways in party walls.

The question is most likely to be whether the original property was double or single fronted. A photo or two might help resolve the question.

If it was originally a double fronted house there are a number possibilities for the function of the room you describe. A study or a morning room are two.

 

[stephenh]

Many Georgian / Regency terraces were speculatively built on greenfield sites under ground-rent contracts from the landowners.

Part of the contract was the building of the roads / services to a certain standard by the contractor and many left this until last so that the roads, railings, pavings, trees etc. were in pristine condition on completion.
This meant that during the building works the ‘road’ in front of the houses became a quagmire in poor weather and full of trenches for sewers etc..

During the refurbishment of a complete terrace in London’s Pimlico (Cubbitt - 1830’s?), many years ago, we found bricked up openings in the ground floor party walls of all properties, all aligned. We deduced that this was a passage-way through the entire terrace which enabled people to travel, undercover, with wheel barrows (there were marks on the sides) etc. when it was raining. These ‘doorways’ would have been the last bits to have been bricked and plastered.

Further, from the outside the terrace looked as though it consisted of a couple of dozen houses of identical size but this was not the case. Internal measurements proved that some houses were larger than others, ‘encroaching’ on the notional space of their now smaller neighbours, one indeed having extra rooms, albeit rather small.

After some puzzling we realized that as spec. builds they were originally being sold ’off plan’, the larger houses being finished first and shown as bait for the punters, who would actually end up with a smaller one…..

The modern take on this by Barratt, Wimpey etc. is to put ¾ size furniture on display in their show houses, on a new estate, to make them appear larger than they really are.

I hope this information is of use.

Stephenh

 

[vicky whitworth]

Is that really true about the slimmed down furniture in modern show houses? If it is, that's outrageous. They should be ashamed of themselves.

 

[FamilyWiggs]

Is that really true about the slimmed down furniture in modern show houses? If it is, that's outrageous. They should be ashamed of themselves.

Building a Barrat box is even more cause to be ashamed.

 

[jocelyn plummer]

Is that really true about the slimmed down furniture in modern show houses?

Yes, it is true. It was mentioned some time ago in a T.V. Property programme

 

[philpjuk100]

looked around a show house a few years ago where cupboard doors had been screwed straight on to the wall!

 

[ilona73]

showhomes are exactly that.. for show nothing more nothing less and at one time they would NEVER be sold on after the site was completed unlike you see now.Its always worth remembering that point. Its all for show so in most cases the kitchen wont be properly installed and not all plumbing will be connected as its only cosmetic to give the potential purchaser an idea of what they can achieve as most people have no idea. It is also about selling a lifestyle too.
It is a well known trick of the trade in any showhome of less than generous proportion size to use three quarter size furniture. This is mainly used in first time buyer homes where you are appealing to first time buyers who basically come to view and are blinded by how smart the interior will look without noticing that all is not as it seems. By the time they move in and have their own furniture to arrange its too late!
Not entirely an honest way of doing things i know but its a practice that has happened and was a secret tool for years. Barrat were the most nototrious for this during their 90's campaign for the £99 down and move in scheme they did.

 

[Penners]

Is that really true about the slimmed down furniture in modern show houses?

I worked in the furniture manufacturing industry for about 30 years, and we had showhome furnishing contracts with a number of major housebuilders.

We never once had a request for slimmed down furniture.

 

[ilona73]

Is that really true about the slimmed down furniture in modern show houses?

I worked in the furniture manufacturing industry for about 30 years, and we had showhome furnishing contracts with a number of major housebuilders.

We never once had a request for slimmed down furniture.

Its not about using slimmed down furniture persae.. its about using a queen size bed and dressing it as a "normal" double.clever usage of positioning of smaller than average sofas etc.etc..
Its also about on site workers adapting other furniture pieces by slicing pieces off them and putting in place . I have seen that done many times even recently.
Its amazing what can happen on site.

 

[tennantcreek]

Thanks Nigel and Stephen, very interesting insights - I'd say the double frontage as you suggested would be the most likely explanation. It's quite fascinating unravelling how things came about and the methods/ploys used.

 

[Schoolmarm]

Its not about using slimmed down furniture persae.. its about using a queen size bed and dressing it as a "normal" double..

Ok, now I am really confused. I thought queen was bigger than double. And I hate to admit this but I don't know what "persae" is.

 

[FamilyWiggs]

Per se - latin phrase meaning "by itself".

 

[Schoolmarm]

:lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[AMc]

Its not about using slimmed down furniture persae.. its about using a queen size bed and dressing it as a "normal" double..

Ok, now I am really confused. I thought queen was bigger than double. And I hate to admit this but I don't know what "persae" is.

I thought so too so I checked... it's on wikipedia so it must be true :lol:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bed_size#Other_UK_sizes

Other UK sizes

Most UK bed sizes are available in various lengths between 6'3" (190.5cm) up to 7'3" (220.9cm) in 3" (7.6cm) increments

Small single
2'6" (76.2cm) wide
Standard single
3' (91.4cm) wide
Prince aka small double or three quarter
4' (121.9cm) wide
Queen aka standard double
4'6" (137.1cm) wide
King
5' (146.3cm) wide
Super king
6' (182.8cm) wide
Eastern king
6'6" (198cm) wide
Emperor
7' (213.3cm) wide
Caesar
8' (243.8cm) wide

When we first moved in together we used to have a Queen but the cats forced us into a king (or out of the queen if you prefer) and even though the cats are long gone we like the extra space. Most first time buyers could probably fit into a Prince, but as we get older...

I remember seeing an Eastern King in Litvinoff Fawcett and marvelling at the width the occupants would need or perhaps I was too sheltered and it's a bed for more than 2? I can't imagine what a Caesar must like. I've had bedrooms less than 8' wide.

 

[ilona73]

Its not about using slimmed down furniture persae.. its about using a queen size bed and dressing it as a "normal" double..

Ok, now I am really confused. I thought queen was bigger than double. And I hate to admit this but I don't know what "persae" is.

My typo sorry i mean to say its about using a 4ft bed dressing as a "normal" double or queensize..
I really should re read my messages before posting. sorry for the confusion.. its been one of those weeks! doh! what a numpty. what a twit i feel hahaha still i am sure u all had a chuckle at my expense haha i have myself this morning when i re read it. I didnt even remember typing it!

 

[Flyfisher]

Caesar
8' (243.8cm) wide

. . . . I can't imagine what a Caesar must like.

Call that a large bed? Pah! Try this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Bed_of_Ware

I wonder what fun has been had in that bed?